Laois County Council
Laois County Council Comhairle Chontae Laoise | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Paschal McEvoy, FF | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 19 |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 7 June 2024 |
| Motto | |
| Irish: I bpáirt leis an bpobal "In partnership with the community" | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Áras an Chontae, Portlaoise | |
| Website | |
Official website  | |
Laois County Council (Irish: Comhairle Chontae Laoise) is the local authority of County Laois, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning and development, amenity and culture, and environment. The council has 19 elected members. Elections are held every five years and are by single transferable vote. The head of the council has the title of Cathaoirleach (chairperson). The county administration is headed by a chief executive, John Mulholland. The county town is Portlaoise.
History[edit]
Laois County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Laois, then called Queen's County.[1][2] It included the judicial county of Queen's County except for the part in the town of Carlow, which became part of the administrative county of County Carlow.[3]
Meetings were originally held in Portlaoise Courthouse. After the courthouse became inadequate, a purpose-built facility, known as County Hall was built in May 1982.[4][5][6]
Regional Assembly[edit]
Laois County Council has two representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Midland Strategic Planning Area Committee.[7]
Elections[edit]
Members of Laois County Council are elected for a five-year term of office on the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV) from multi-member local electoral areas (LEAs).
| Year | FG | FF | SF | Lab | PDs | Ind | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | 5 | 19 | ||||||
| 2019 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | 3 | 19 | ||||||
| 2014 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | 3 | 19 | ||||||
| 2009 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 25 | ||||||
| 2004 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 25 | ||||||
| 1999 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 25 | ||||||
| 1991 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 25 | ||||||
| 1985 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 1 | — | 1 | 25 | ||||||
Local electoral areas and municipal districts[edit]
County Laois is divided into municipal districts and LEAs, defined by electoral divisions.[8]
| Municipal District and LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick | Aghmacart, Arderin, Ballybrophy, Ballyfin, Borris-in-Ossory, Brisha, Caher, Capard, Cappalough, Cardtown, Castlecuffe, Castletown, Clash, Clonaslee, Clonin, Clonmore, Coolrain, Cuffsborough, Cullahill, Dangans, Donaghmore, Donore, Dunmore, Durrow, Errill, Garrymore, Graigue, Grantstown, Kilcoke, Kildellig, Killermogh, Kilnaseer, Kyle, Kyle South, Lacka, Marymount, Meelick, Moneenalassa, Moneymore, Mountmellick Rural, Mountmellick Urban, Mountrath, Nealstown, OMoresforest, Rathdowney, Rathsaran, Rearymore, Rosenallis, Tinnahinch and Trumra. | 6 |
| Graiguecullen–Portarlington | Ardough, Arless, Ballickmoyler, Ballyadams, Ballybrittas, Ballycarroll, Ballylehane, Ballylynan, Barrowhouse, Curraclone, Doonane, Emo, Farnans, Fossy, Graigue Rural, Jamestown, Killabban, Kilmullen, Kilmurry, Luggacurren, Moyanna, Newtown, Portarlington South, Rathaspick, Rossmore, Sallyford, Shrule, Stradbally, Tankardstown, Timahoe, Timogue, Turra and Vicarstown. | 6 |
| Portlaoise | Abbeyleix, Ballinakill, Ballyroan, Blandsfort, Borris, Clondarrig, Clonkeen, Colt, Cullenagh, Dysartgallen, Kilcolmanbane, Portlaoighise Rural, Portlaoighise Urban, Raheen and Shaen. | 7 |
Current councillors[edit]
The following were elected at the 2024 Laois County Council election.
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 6 | |
| Fine Gael | 5 | |
| Sinn Féin | 2 | |
| Labour | 1 | |
| Independent | 5 | |
Councillors by electoral area[edit]
This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.[9]
| Council members from 2024 election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Local electoral area | Name | Party | |
| Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick | Conor Bergin | Fine Gael | |
| James Kelly | Independent | ||
| Paddy Bracken | Fianna Fáil | ||
| John King | Fine Gael | ||
| Ollie Clooney | Independent | ||
| Séamus McDonald | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Graiguecullen–Portarlington | Aidan Mullins | Sinn Féin | |
| Paschal McEvoy | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Ben Brennan | Independent | ||
| Pádraig Fleming | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Aisling Moran | Independent | ||
| Vivienne Phelan | Fine Gael | ||
| Portlaoise | William Aird | Fine Gael | |
| Caroline Dwane Stanley | Sinn Féin | ||
| Tommy Mulligan | Independent | ||
| John Joe Fennelly | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Catherine Fitzgerald | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Barry Walsh | Fine Gael | ||
| Marie Tuohy | Labour | ||
References[edit]
- ^ Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, s. 1: Establishment of county councils (61 & 62 Vict., c. 37 of 1898, s. 1). Enacted on 12 August 1898. Act of the UK Parliament. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, s. 124: Commencement of Act (61 & 62 Vict., c. 37 of 1898, s. 124). Enacted on 12 August 1898. Act of the UK Parliament. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ "Orders declaring the boundaries of administrative counties and defining county electoral divisions: Queen's County". 27th Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland (Cmd. 9480). Dublin: Local Government Board for Ireland. 1900. p. 303.
- ^ "Our town c. 1850 - 2000". Portlaoise Pictures. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- ^ "Survey of Architectural Heritage of Port Laoise" (PDF). Laois County Council. 1 December 2008. p. 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- ^ "1979 Election Memories: The men in suits, the dealing in Donoghues, and Charlie McDonald loses out to Paddy Lalor for Europe". Laoise Today. 24 May 2019. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- ^ Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Assemblies) (Establishment) Order 2014, Article 5 and Schedule 3 (S.I. No. 573 of 2014). Signed on 16 December 2014. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 1 May 2023.
- ^ County of Laois Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018 (S.I. No. 622 of 2018). Signed on 19 December 2018. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 24 April 2020.
- ^ "Laois County Council – Elected Candidates". RTÉ News. Retrieved 12 June 2024.